Well...we're still waiting to get our photos back from our professional photographer. I guess that's what we get for getting married at the height of wedding season!
In the meantime, here's a brief run-down of what's been happening in our lives:
*The girls' rodeo season is in full swing. In fact, tonight Sierra is competing in barrel racing and poles and Mesa is doing barrel racing, poles, AND riding a sheep (I'm sure there's a rodeo term for it, but I'm not knowledgeable yet!)
*Andrew joined the OKC Triathlon Club and is competing in his first-ever duathlon this Sunday. He'll run (5k), bike (24k), and run (5k). I'm excited to watch him compete (I'll be the one taking pictures!)
*I'm working on building my cake and book business. Check out my most recent posts at Z as in Zebra.
*I've been meeting with my friend Mikie for accountability in terms of wellness, making good eating choices, exercise, and healthy weight, as well as the mental/emotional/spiritual sides to all of the above. She's doing incredibly well and I'm blessed to witness her transformation!
*Andrew has been running the family business for a few months now. Business is going well, but he and his brothers are getting so fast, most days end early. If you need window washing, power washing, or welding, call them!
*My artsy friend Mandy and I have been encouraging one another to live more creatively. Not only during 'official' art-making times, but just in general. She defines it perfectly here.
*I'm starting a 12-week study called The Artist's Way with a small group of friends. Week One begins this Sunday!
What have YOU been up to?!
10 July 2009
24 June 2009
The Wedding
Our wedding ceremony was amazing. The whole day just went off without a hitch and it couldn't have been more fun! Here's a photo recap of the preparations and the ceremony itself.
Getting ready for my makeup...
Showing a little leg before the ceremony...
TRUE friends (family, in fact...my cousin Zoe and my sister Arica) help you with ANYTHING. ha!
Will, Andrew's nephew was one of our ring bearers...and he KNEW he looked handsome because everyone kept telling him. ;)
Oops, the ribbon we wrapped on the lighter made it impossible for the moms to get the candles lit! Aah! We lucked out, as this was our one "snafu", and it was so NOT a big deal. When they finally got the candles lit, the crowd cheered. :)
My girls looked AMAZING in their blue dresses with their green flowers.
Lighting our candle as our slideshow played.
Prayer of blessing over our family.
You may kiss the bride!
Mr. & Mrs. Meadows!!!
Our wedding was perfectly "us" and we know God was smiling down. We are blessed
Getting ready for my makeup... Showing a little leg before the ceremony... TRUE friends (family, in fact...my cousin Zoe and my sister Arica) help you with ANYTHING. ha! Will, Andrew's nephew was one of our ring bearers...and he KNEW he looked handsome because everyone kept telling him. ;) Oops, the ribbon we wrapped on the lighter made it impossible for the moms to get the candles lit! Aah! We lucked out, as this was our one "snafu", and it was so NOT a big deal. When they finally got the candles lit, the crowd cheered. :) My girls looked AMAZING in their blue dresses with their green flowers. Lighting our candle as our slideshow played. Prayer of blessing over our family. You may kiss the bride! Mr. & Mrs. Meadows!!!Our wedding was perfectly "us" and we know God was smiling down. We are blessed
23 June 2009
30 years
In my opinion, 30 years is a long time. And today marks 30th anniversary of the day when my amazing parents said "I do."
From woodworking to cooking, there's nothing my parents can't do when they join forces. Over the years, they've accomplished so many impressive things:
*built a garage and shop from scratch
*taught thousands of high school students
*earned a pilot's license
*invented a quiz-bowl system for public schools
*hand made countless quilts, afghans, and needlework projects
*learned how to fix pinball machines
*added a fully-functional basement under our house
And that's just some of the things they've done that have nothing to do with being a couple, raising kids, or maintaining a home...I can't even begin to list the numbers of homemade birthday cakes, Halloween costumes, and prom dresses Mom made, or the number of times my sisters and I wrestled, played "Dynamite Ball", or laughed at old movies with Dad. THOSE are the things that my priceless memories are made of.
My parents have always gone above and beyond. They love to learn and they love to experience life to the fullest. ((Guess that's where I got it!)) They are incredibly practical, humble people with a fierce sense of commitment--to each other and to their loved ones. I am so inspired by them and honored to be their oldest kid...their "first pancake". :) They take incredibly good care of me and my sisters (despite the fact that two of us moved out years ago and are now married!) and we could never thank them enough.
I just hope I make them as proud as they make me.
Mom and Dad, I love you so much!! Thank you for sticking by each other all these years and showing me what love really looks like. It's such a rare thing these days for marriages to last and I am so thankful for your strong relationship. It inspires me in my own marriage.
Happy Anniversary!! Here's to another 30 years! (at least!!)
From woodworking to cooking, there's nothing my parents can't do when they join forces. Over the years, they've accomplished so many impressive things:
*built a garage and shop from scratch
*taught thousands of high school students
*earned a pilot's license
*invented a quiz-bowl system for public schools
*hand made countless quilts, afghans, and needlework projects
*learned how to fix pinball machines
*added a fully-functional basement under our house
And that's just some of the things they've done that have nothing to do with being a couple, raising kids, or maintaining a home...I can't even begin to list the numbers of homemade birthday cakes, Halloween costumes, and prom dresses Mom made, or the number of times my sisters and I wrestled, played "Dynamite Ball", or laughed at old movies with Dad. THOSE are the things that my priceless memories are made of.
My parents have always gone above and beyond. They love to learn and they love to experience life to the fullest. ((Guess that's where I got it!)) They are incredibly practical, humble people with a fierce sense of commitment--to each other and to their loved ones. I am so inspired by them and honored to be their oldest kid...their "first pancake". :) They take incredibly good care of me and my sisters (despite the fact that two of us moved out years ago and are now married!) and we could never thank them enough.
I just hope I make them as proud as they make me.
Mom and Dad, I love you so much!! Thank you for sticking by each other all these years and showing me what love really looks like. It's such a rare thing these days for marriages to last and I am so thankful for your strong relationship. It inspires me in my own marriage.
Happy Anniversary!! Here's to another 30 years! (at least!!)
22 June 2009
Pre-Wedding Festivities!
WHEW!! The month of May was a total blur AND a total blast!! Now that I've had a chance to get back into the swing of things, I'll hopefully be posting more regularly (fingers crossed).
Rather than type out all the details, I will be reviewing our wedding week through captioned photos. Here we go! ((for the photos that are cropped, just click on them to see the whole image))
My youngest sister Allison (L) accompanied me to the airport to get our middle sister Arica (middle).
After Megan arrived from Atlanta, Zoe arrived from Seattle and Jacee drove up from Moore, I treated my bridesmaids to dinner at Cafe 7.
A margarita and fondue-filled slumber party rounded out our girls' night.
We rehearsed and marked our spots so we'd know where to stand the next day.
We enjoyed our rehearsal dinner and the toasts made by friends and family.
After our dinner, we headed to our dessert party at Andrew's parents' house.
YUMMY!!
My dad made some AMAZING displays for our party...this one burned red and green.
I was invited to join the infamous sisters' heads photo! :)
We had so much fun the whole week...everything leading up to the wedding just increased our anticipation for the big day!!
Rather than type out all the details, I will be reviewing our wedding week through captioned photos. Here we go! ((for the photos that are cropped, just click on them to see the whole image))
My youngest sister Allison (L) accompanied me to the airport to get our middle sister Arica (middle). After Megan arrived from Atlanta, Zoe arrived from Seattle and Jacee drove up from Moore, I treated my bridesmaids to dinner at Cafe 7. A margarita and fondue-filled slumber party rounded out our girls' night. We rehearsed and marked our spots so we'd know where to stand the next day. We enjoyed our rehearsal dinner and the toasts made by friends and family. After our dinner, we headed to our dessert party at Andrew's parents' house. YUMMY!! My dad made some AMAZING displays for our party...this one burned red and green. I was invited to join the infamous sisters' heads photo! :)We had so much fun the whole week...everything leading up to the wedding just increased our anticipation for the big day!!
19 May 2009
10 To Go!
I have plenty of stuff hanging on my refrigerator, as evidenced by this photo:
Right now, my favorite thing is the Countdown Clock my mom sent me. (It used to be for something else, but I reset the date and made a label to match our wedding stationery).
Remember how our recurring number is 10? Well, guess what?! Today we are just 10 days away from our wedding!!
WOO HOO!!!!
Right now, my favorite thing is the Countdown Clock my mom sent me. (It used to be for something else, but I reset the date and made a label to match our wedding stationery).Remember how our recurring number is 10? Well, guess what?! Today we are just 10 days away from our wedding!!
WOO HOO!!!!
29 April 2009
Marathon Excitement!
Yesterday was the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Surrounded by 19,000 other participants, I ran the half-marathon (13.1 miles) which is my own personal record. Anna and her boyfriend Cody ran the full marathon (26.2 miles...yowza!). It was really great weather, despite the wind. As we neared the state capitol (about Mile 3), I saw Andrew and his parents. I let them know I was feeling good.
Mile 6, I was still feeling really strong.
At this point, the half-marathoners split from the marathoners and headed back towards the finish line.
My goal was to run the majority of the race and only walk long enough to get a drink at each water stop. I did pretty well on that goal, too! I did walk about a quarter-mile near the end, as it was uphill and the wind was gusting in our faces. I walked to the top of the hill and started running again once I got to the top. I sprinted the last 100 yards or so, as that's my favorite part of any race. :)
I was hoping to finish in 2.5 hours and I actually got really close to that time: 2:33:20! I felt really good and strong even after the finish. I felt accomplished and was glad to be done so I could take my shoes off!!
While I was busy drinking Powerade and re-fueling with fruit and snacks, Anna and Cody were still running their race. Anna looked really strong as she headed towards the finish...
Little did she know that Cody (who was running behind Anna at this point) had taken off his jacket and was wearing this shirt:
Andrew and I, along with his family and several friends, waited near the finish line for Anna (and Cody...we wanted to see Anna's reaction to his shirt)
Anna crossed the finish line and came to join us. We waited several minutes for Cody to come into view. Then, Anna saw him:
She ran out to meet him. He got the ring out of his iPod case, got down on one knee (after RUNNING 26.2 miles, mind you!) and asked her to marry him.
She said YES!
All in all, a VERY exciting day!! I crossed "Run a half-marathon" off my list of lifelong To-Dos, Anna and Cody both did well on running the marathon, AND the ManyMeadows family is going to add a new member! (I was #19...Cody makes 20!) Wowie!! A GREAT day!!!
Mile 6, I was still feeling really strong.
At this point, the half-marathoners split from the marathoners and headed back towards the finish line.
My goal was to run the majority of the race and only walk long enough to get a drink at each water stop. I did pretty well on that goal, too! I did walk about a quarter-mile near the end, as it was uphill and the wind was gusting in our faces. I walked to the top of the hill and started running again once I got to the top. I sprinted the last 100 yards or so, as that's my favorite part of any race. :)I was hoping to finish in 2.5 hours and I actually got really close to that time: 2:33:20! I felt really good and strong even after the finish. I felt accomplished and was glad to be done so I could take my shoes off!!
While I was busy drinking Powerade and re-fueling with fruit and snacks, Anna and Cody were still running their race. Anna looked really strong as she headed towards the finish...
Little did she know that Cody (who was running behind Anna at this point) had taken off his jacket and was wearing this shirt:
Andrew and I, along with his family and several friends, waited near the finish line for Anna (and Cody...we wanted to see Anna's reaction to his shirt)
Anna crossed the finish line and came to join us. We waited several minutes for Cody to come into view. Then, Anna saw him:
She ran out to meet him. He got the ring out of his iPod case, got down on one knee (after RUNNING 26.2 miles, mind you!) and asked her to marry him.
She said YES!
All in all, a VERY exciting day!! I crossed "Run a half-marathon" off my list of lifelong To-Dos, Anna and Cody both did well on running the marathon, AND the ManyMeadows family is going to add a new member! (I was #19...Cody makes 20!) Wowie!! A GREAT day!!!
28 April 2009
Floral!
My amazing friend Emily has been helping me with the flowers for the wedding. Actually, Emily has been doing the majority of the work...so I guess I've been helping her. At any rate...
The bouquets are amazing! We found these awesome pale green orchids that match our color scheme perfectly. We tore the stalks apart and Emily re-wired the flowers so she could build the bouquets from scratch.
Not only does Emily have an amazing eye for aesthetics, she's also an ENGINEER, so everything she makes is always really sturdy! I could probably spike my bouquet in the end-zone and it wouldn't fall apart!
Here's a little peek at the bouquets the bridesmaids will carry:
My bouquet will coordinate with the bridesmaids' bouquets, but will include white lilies and blue berries instead of green ones. Andrew's daughters will carry bouquets that coordinate with mine and the bridesmaids, but are also unique. I love how all the details are slightly different but tie together!
The bouquets are amazing! We found these awesome pale green orchids that match our color scheme perfectly. We tore the stalks apart and Emily re-wired the flowers so she could build the bouquets from scratch.
Not only does Emily have an amazing eye for aesthetics, she's also an ENGINEER, so everything she makes is always really sturdy! I could probably spike my bouquet in the end-zone and it wouldn't fall apart!Here's a little peek at the bouquets the bridesmaids will carry:
My bouquet will coordinate with the bridesmaids' bouquets, but will include white lilies and blue berries instead of green ones. Andrew's daughters will carry bouquets that coordinate with mine and the bridesmaids, but are also unique. I love how all the details are slightly different but tie together!
27 April 2009
The Ring Boys' Job
In some cases, Andrew and I are sticking with tradition for our wedding. In others, we are bucking the system and doing artsy, unique things rather than the stuff you see every day. For instance, we aren't having our ring bearers (Kaden and Will, Andrew's nephews) carry a pillow. We're doing something totally different.
I don't want to spoil the surprise, so you're only getting a sneak peek of the project my mom called her "favorite". I designed how it should look and she did the steps related to fabric. I'm really quite an igmo when it comes to anything sewing/fabric related. Hopefully that will change some day, but for now, I let Mom handle it. :)
Come back tomorrow to see what else we've been creating!
I don't want to spoil the surprise, so you're only getting a sneak peek of the project my mom called her "favorite". I designed how it should look and she did the steps related to fabric. I'm really quite an igmo when it comes to anything sewing/fabric related. Hopefully that will change some day, but for now, I let Mom handle it. :)
Come back tomorrow to see what else we've been creating!
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